I really hope we claim Kemp or Carlos Gonzales. Once a player is claimed, you can trade anyone for him, correct? If so, I'd package Marisnick and take on half of Kemp's salary for Kemp and a prospect. Marisnick was traded for a reason. He's not THAT elite of a prospect, and it looks more likely that he wont reach his ceiling. I'm happy to part with him if it gives us Kemp. Any other players you'd like to see the Stros trade for?
Year/Age/Team/Salary 2015 30 Los Angeles Dodgers $21,000,000 2016 31 Los Angeles Dodgers $21,500,000 2017 32 Los Angeles Dodgers $21,500,000 2018 33 Los Angeles Dodgers $21,500,000 2019 34 Los Angeles Dodgers $21,500,000 The day that happens is the day I....
If you claim a player, there is the chance his team will simply say he is yours and you have to take on his entire salary. Otherwise, they will recall him from waivers and you can try and strike a deal or his original team simply keeps him.
Yea the day crane spends on anything is the day I become interested again. It's one thing to be smart while rebuilding it's another to penny pinch. I never imagined I'd see a day where the Astros were cheap. I really thought things were turning around until the Aiken ordeal. I don't trust this management or ownership.
He almost doubled the payroll over the offseason. Sure, they still have the smallest payroll in the majors, but you don't make one or two big FA acquisitions just to say you did it. At that point, you might win 80 games instead of 70. You especially don't do that when one of your media partners has dragged you into bankruptcy court and had the judge appoint $400 per hour attorneys that you have to help pay for all while receiving ZERO in media rights. I swear...it is like you have the stomach flu and the vomitus you spew is "Crane bad."
I think bobrek's comment was in order. I don't dislike Crane as an owner. Regardless, it would be stupid for the Astros to spend that much money on one player with no assurance that they will be ready in 2 years to compete. I would be happy if the Astros spent 15 million on 3 relievers and a utility/SS. Kemp is a great player but isn't close to earning that salary.
Also--the Astros need to lose the rest of the season. We're at the point of last season's Texans where talent>pride. We could draft an awesome SP that will make the fans who wanted the team to win admit that the organization was better off losing.
He increased Astros payroll 30 mil this offseason (Fowler, Feldman, Qualls, Albers, Crain) I'd say he's not the cheapest.
P And I swear you have some pathological need to be the white knight for an owner that has done little but be a cheap knucklehead. Latest dumb move raising ticket prices while not even trying to put a competitive team on the field. Coupled with dynamic pricing and asking the fans to write 10m checks for players our owner is his own worst enemy. You mention court costs for the bankruptcy case which Crane shares blame for but fail to account for the frivolous fabrication of being duped lawsuit. Not to mention Crane has a reputation for being unscrupulous in the shipping industry.
Crane filed the involuntary bankruptcy? I must have missed that. Geez... The fact is that this involuntary filing has cost the Astros whatever they have shouldered in legal fees plus whatever they could have gotten in rights fees. The team is receiving zero in rights fees, has been increasing the payroll anyway...and you are somehow puzzled that ticket prices are increasing.
Of course not. Some just want spending for the sake of it. I particularly enjoyed this comment: According to this, spending is what matters - not winning. If we spend but don't win, he'd be interested. If we win but don't spend, he wouldn't be. It's kind of bizarre that the goal is simply to spend money, regardless of whether it's smart or not. And that not claiming an overpaid, declining and seriously injury prone player is an example of penny pinching or being a cheap owner.
So you are going to take the position that the Astros aren't receiving revenue sharing and or national TV contract money that covers their pitiful payroll. The Astros are a top 15 market and are gaming the system, this is exactly why Crane began operation jackass on the TV deal, because he dumped payroll and could afford to try to wait it out until providers paid outrageous carriage fees or his ship came in with his stupid lawsuit. Meanwhile Crane won't even pay the draft picks he tanked for.
Would I? Personally yes, I think kemp is a gamechanger and better than any player luhnow has drafted. It's a lot of money but I'd rather spend 20 on kemp than 10 on Feldman. You can stick up for our racist cheapskate owner all you want but as I person who grew up the biggest stros fan I'm disgusted with crane. From being bullied to the al, to being a stick in the rockets side with csn, to drafting Aiken over rodon and making up an injury to low ball 1 million dollars. I could care less if we lose, I'll still be an Astros fan but I've had season tickets my whole life and now they want to raise prices for this terrible product? Crane is the worst owner in houston since bud Adams .
Just because Kemp would be a terrible idea doesn't mean crane is a good owner No to Kemp, he's not that good anymore But crane is a loser, as a person, and as an owner
Seriously, you would take the chance on spending $20,000,000+ a year for 5 years? As an owner you would commit $100,000,000 to a player who will be 35 in the final year of the contract? How did that Carlos Lee contract work out for Houston?